Damaged
by AnnaDreyar
Summary: One night, an accident, their paths crossed. Each step closer to each other showed them, that their paths would intersect at some point, because the road on which they walk was interconnected somehow all the time, and they are willing to move on wherever it takes. AU [KakaSaku]
1. The meetings

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto ****or Sakura's hair, but I'd love to.**

_I want to thank you immensely_** 'Notaferret' **_for editing this chapter._

* * *

**Chapter 1: The** **meetings.**

It was supposed to be a quiet night. Sakura was counting on it, because all she wanted was to take a significant amount of the bitter coffee that was served in the hospital cafeteria while she relaxed on the comfortable sofa in her office, waiting for the end of her shift in half an hour. Her plans were completely thwarted when a couple of nurses rushed toward her, pushing a stretcher that had arrived in the ambulance.

A car accident. Sakura sighed mourning the loss of tranquility and activated the medical mode instinctively, shifting all her attention to the unconscious woman on the stretcher before her. She shouted orders to the nurses as she hurried to the nearest operating room, willing to devote everything to save the life of that woman, who, despite being covered in blood, seemed to be too young to die that night on her shift.

Sakura did not care about the coffee, her rest, or if the time to go home was close. she knew she would not leave the hospital so soon after entering the operating room.

"Moegi-chan." Sakura called above the noise that had taken over the corridor after all the commotion. When the young orange-haired receptionist looked at her with a tired smile, Sakura sighed for the thousandth time that day. "I'm not going to be back home on time, please let Naruto know." Sakura did not wait to see her nod and disappeared into the OR.

Moegi had known Sakura a long enough time to know that she would not leave the patient alone until she was sure she was stable. And if the amount of blood on the woman was any indication of the near-death state in which Moegi imagined the woman was, Sakura would take time inside that room. She took her cell phone and sent a message to her boyfriend, asking him to tell Naruto that Sakura would be absent that night.

When the screen flashed with an answer, ridiculing her use of emojis, which she did not even bother to pay attention to, she sighed knowing it would be a long night. She realized that Sakura's sighing habit was completely contagious.

* * *

Kakashi put his little son in the backseat of the car and tried to drive as carefully as possible. He was still in a stunned state after receiving the call that his son's mother had been in a car accident and was undergoing surgery at the main hospital in Konoha. Looking at his sleeping son, through the car mirror he thought about how the boy would feel if something terrible happened to his mother, even if they were not very close.

Kakashi did not love her, he did not think he loved her at any point in their troubled relationship, but that did not mean that he wanted something bad to happen to her. He did not feel guilty for wanting her to suffer a little years ago when she hurt him more deeply than he would ever admit to anyone, but he never wished she would die. He knew that Sakumo loved his mother as much as he loved him, and he did not want to see his son in pain. This night would be long and he asked heaven to spare his son the pain of loss he knew very well.

He arrived at the hospital later than expected because of the chaotic traffic. He stopped the car in the parking lot and took the sleeping son in his arms as he walked slowly to the hospital reception. "Good evening! Nohara Rin entered the hospital about an hour ago."

Before he could continue the young receptionist gave a weak smile and Kakashi listened as the young girl explained how Rin had been taken to the hospital after her car collided head-on with another vehicle and how she was in critical condition but being treated by the best medic in the operating room. He realized that the girl was trying to reassure him and he was glad that her attempt worked perfectly.

* * *

Sakura was completely exhausted, but satisfied. The young woman was out of danger but unfortunately still unconscious. The coma could have been due to the trauma, Sakura did not know for sure, but she was at least relieved that the woman was breathing without difficulty and despite having scars that would probably be permanent, she was alive. That meant Sakura had done her job well.

"Moegi." Sakura approached the front reception. "Naruto said something?"

"I asked Konohamaru to warn him, Sakura-chan. It was easier to talk to him than to Naruto who never looks at his phone." She said as she rubbed her eyes with obvious tiredness.

"You're right, thank you." Sakura replied. "I'm going home soon, will you want a ride?"

Moegi nodded frantically. "I'll leave the reception in an hour," She said with a happy smile and Sakura knew it was happiness to go home to sleep after a tiring day in the hectic hospital. Before Sakura could make a joke about her change of mood, she saw Moegi point toward a man sitting on a bench with a child in his arms. "He's waiting for news of the patient you saved." She said in a whisper.

Sakura stared at the white-haired man who was leaning back in the chair, juggling impressively to keep the little boy with white hair on his lap, comfortable. Sakura smiled unconsciously at the man, imagining that he was a good father. "I'll take care of him." Sakura said to Moegi as she walked towards the man who had his eyes closed, admiring his features as she approached.

"Excuse me." It was with the sound of a sweet voice that Kakashi was brought from the land of sleep. He opened the eyes to be greeted by a beautiful pair of green eyes that looked even more tired than his. "Are you Nohara-san's husband?"

Kakashi sat upright on the hard, uncomfortable bench, trying not to wake his sleeping son. "I'm an acquaintance of her's, actually." He said in a serious voice as he cracked his back.

"Oh." Sakura looked at the boy drooling with the mouth open on the man's lap and felt like doing something about their obvious discomfort. "Can you come with me, please?" She asked sweetly and walked down the corridor waiting for him to follow.

Kakashi followed the woman who seemed to be too young to be a medic, but he decided not to judge. He stopped behind her at a door that had a sign with Haruno Sakura written on it, watching as she entered the small dark office. He waited for her to switch on the light but was surprised when she turned on only the lamp that was on the table. He was even more surprised when she smiled at him and pointed to the sofa that seemed comfortable enough to sleep on, and he bet she used it to do just that. "You can lay him there." He heard her say as she pointed to the boy in his arms.

Kakashi was grateful for her concern for his son. He was really touched by her kindness and wondered if she happened to be a mother, that would justify her care. When Kakashi lay Sakumo on the comfortable sofa and covered him with a blanket the woman offered, he sat in the chair in front of the table, happy to be more comfortable than that bench in the hall.

Sakura pulled the cap off her hair and massaged her scalp lightly, closing her eyes with a sense of relief. She did not notice the startled look on the man's face in front of her as he saw the unusual hair color she had. When she opened her eyes and stared at him he had the same monotonous look on his face and she picked a paper he did not even notice she was holding all the time. "Well, you were Nohara Rin's contact in her health insurance. Please tell me your name and the degree of kinship with the patient." She asked politely.

"Hatake Kakashi." He replied, realizing that he had not even introduced himself. "She's my son's mother." He looked at Sakumo asleep comfortably on the couch. "Thanks for that, by the way."

"Don't worry about it." She said with a tired smile. "Hatake-san." She started. "Nohara-san came to the hospital in critical condition, the surgery took almost two hours because some ligaments in the muscles of the right leg were broken, she will have to do physical therapy I believe, but I can only confirm when she wakes up." She saw him nod and continued. "There was no organ puncture and she was very lucky."

"But." He said abruptly and Sakura realized he was not a stranger to bad news, and somehow it made her feel sad for him.

"But she went into a coma, probably due to trauma, both physical and mental, which is not uncommon in cases of accidents like this." She scribbled some papers and looked at him again. "She can wake up tomorrow or in a few days, maybe weeks." When she realize that he did not appear to be shocked or too upset by the news, she felt the same sensation as before and thought that maybe he did not shake easily because he was accustomed to bad news. She decided that definitely needed a night's sleep if a completely unknown man were able to affect her this way in such a short time for no apparent reason.

"You can visit her tomorrow." She concluded. "Here are the visiting times of the hospital." She handed him a small piece of paper. The man accepted the paper and sighed wearily. "You have to fill out some paperwork. I'll be right back." Sakura said before heading out the door without waiting for his response.

A few long minutes later she returned with a briefcase under her arm and a paper cup in both hands. She handed him the briefcase and a paper cup with coffee, which he accepted with a nod of thanks.

When Kakashi finished filling out the paperwork, a knock on the door made Sakura jump. "Moegi-chan." She greeted when the girl opened the door and almost beat herself because she forgot to give the girl a ride. "Hatake-san." She turned to tell him that they needed to leave and saw him behind her with the boy asleep in his arms.

"I'll be back tomorrow at visiting time." He said, passing her. "Thanks for everything." He said earnestly before disappearing into the hallway.

"Poor man." Moegi said in a sad voice. "Having to see his wife in that state."

Sakura locked the door and walked to the elevator with Moegi behind her. "They're not married."

"Oh." The girl exclaimed in surprise. "Relatives?"

Sakura laughed lightly. "I don't know, they have a child together, apparently. It must be something complicated in which I don't want to get involved."

"Right." Moegi smiled. "Let's go home then."

* * *

It was her day off, and Sakura was more than happy to spend a lazy day at home, sprawled on the sofa watching movies while she ate everything she could find in the kitchen cabinets. But things hardly happened as she planned, which led her to be in the car with Sarada in the back seat and Kurama in a transport case in the front seat, driving as cautiously as possible, though trying to be fast, to get to the vet closer to home. She cursed Naruto in her mind for going out with his girlfriend while she stayed to take care of the animal he was supposed to be responsible for.

"Mom, I think it's going to rain." The seven-year-old girl warned as she stared at the dark clouds that were covering the city sky.

"That's Naruto's fault. That idiot." Sakura hit the wheel as she passed a red headlight.

"I don't know how Uncle Naruto can be blamed for the rain, but whatever you say." Sarada said with an amused tone.

"Don't tease me, brat." Sakura said with a laugh, happy to have Sarada to change her mood whenever it soured. "We're here." She parked in front of a vet she had found on the internet and frowned when she realized it was a clinic in a garage. "It's going to have to do." She muttered to herself and got out of the car with the transport case in one hand and Sarada's hand in the other.

"Good afternoon." She said absently as she looked around. She regretted judging the place from the outside, seeing the pictures of several happy clients and diplomas on the wall, the nicely maintained and clean place, she decided it was a clinic seemingly reliable.

"Haruno-san?" A husky voice made her look at the desk and she was surprised to see the handsome white-haired man behind it, wearing a white coat that suited him too well.

"Hatake-san." She greeted belatedly and felt her heart skip a beat faster and cursed herself internally for letting that man have that effect on her.

It had been two weeks since the Nohara Rin accident that made them meet that fateful night. Since then, Kakashi has been to the hospital a few times for Sakumo to see his mother unconscious since Sakura had said that talking to patients in a coma was good for them.

Sakura always paid him a coffee and a snack to Sakumo. She found it strange but never commented that Kakashi never offered to pay for anything in the cafeteria once, and never mentioned paying her back.

In her hours of rest he would appear coincidentally and they would get lost in silly conversations while Sakumo played with the model of the human body she had in her office. She was getting used to him coming to the hospital.

"Vet?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, life takes us in odd directions sometimes." He said in a lazy tone, with which she was beginning to get used to. "What brings you here?"

"That." She set the transport case on the counter and smiled at the surprised look on Kakashi's face when she pulled the animal from within.

"A fox?" He asked genuinely surprised.

"Kurama." She answered.

"And what happened to Kurama?" He asked curiously, walking towards a door as Sakura followed him with Sarada beside her. Kakashi put the animal on the table and looked at her expectantly.

"Naruto left a pizza box on the sofa. It had five pieces in it and this little one devoured everything." She said, stroking the fox's head.

"This is bad." He stirred a few things and prepared a bag with serum. "I'll make him vomit and put him down. He will need stay under observation after that." He explained the procedure while doing everything with a grace tthat had Sakura almost hypnotized. "Your husband should be more careful."

Sarada laughed, catching Kakashi's attention. "Oh sorry." She said shyly. "It's just that the idea of mommy married to uncle Naruto makes me laugh."

"Sarada." Sakura said in a reprehensible tone. "I'm not married." She told Kakashi without looking directly at him, missing the glow in the man's eyes. But, that moment was not lost for Sarada, who smiled knowingly.

Kakashi cleared his throat. "What made you have a fox? You know they're not pets." He changed the subject.

"That little thing." She stroked the sleeping animal. "He invaded our backyard to take refuge. He had a broken leg and Naruto, my best friend who happens to live in the same house as me." She clarified, not wanting him to think she had some kind of romantic relationship with Naruto or anyone. "Took care of him until he recovered. When he recovered, the rascal refused to leave and has lived with us for two years."

"Wow." Kakashi smiled. "You need a license to keep such an animal, you know?"

"Are you going to arrest me for this?" Sakura joked, remembering that he had once said that he worked for the police.

"I could." He smirked, completely comfortable with the flirtations that had become frequent between them after his visits to the hospital.

"I'm still here." Sarada said in a serious voice, drawing the couple's attention.

Kakashi felt his cheeks heat up and felt ridiculous for being caught flirting with the girl's mother in front of her. "I have a son." He said a little louder than his normal tone of voice due to the nervousness.

"Mom said." Sarada said with an innocent smile, but Sakura knew she was planning something by the glow in the shrewd girl's dark eyes. "Mom has been talking a lot about Hatake-san lately."

"Sarada." Sakura screamed and felt her face warm. She wanted a hole to open and swallow her and knew that her cheeks were blushing. She felt like a teenager again.

Kakashi put a hand on her back and guided them out of the room. "Let me introduce you to Sakumo, Sarada-chan." He opened another door and Sakura was surprised to see that iit lead to his house.

"Sakumo." Kakashi called.

"What is it, dad?" The nine-year-old boy appeared at the top of the stairs and looked at both of them. "Yo, Sakura-san." He greeted her with a smile that was identical to his father's.

"That's no way to greet people." Kakashi reprimanded.

"You always greet everyone like that." Sakumo snapped back.

"Brat." Kakashi murmured. "There's a little friend here to play with you." He said cheerfully ignoring the mortal gaze he received from the two children and at that moment both, he and Sakura smiled, realizing that those two could have much in common.

Sarada went upstairs without waiting for an invitation and disappeared with Sakumo. "I think this may be the beginning of a beautiful friendship," Sakura said thoughtfully.

"Or our white hair," Kakashi nudged her with his elbow.

Sakura looked at his face and then at his disheveled white hair. "Really?" She asked with a laugh and he laughed with her.

"Come on, I'll pour you some tea." He led her into the small, cozy kitchen.

"Your house is beautiful," She said truthfully.

"I do what I can." He replied with a smile. Loud thunder echoed outside the house at that moment.

"Damn it." Sakura grunted. "How long until Kurama is well?"

"At least an hour before I release you." He put a cup of tea in front of him and rested his elbows on the table, hovering his face very close to hers. "I think you're stuck here with me for a while, Haruno-san."

Sakura knew he was flirting with her and she should be accustomed to it because it had become a two-way street between them in the last few weeks, but his face was too close and his husky voice was sending chills down her body. "Sakura." She said in a whisper, clutching him even more. "Call me Sakura, Kakashi." She said in a provocative tone, not wanting lose to him in this game they had created.

* * *

**Note:** _This is my first AU, completely out of the canon. I dreamed with a part of this story and thought: Why not adapt to my favorite couple?! - __ It will be a few chapters, but it will have some drama and a happy ending._


	2. The agreement

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

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**Chapter 2: The agreement.**

Kakashi swallowed the tea with a little difficulty as the fascinating woman in front of him whispered his name in a way, which he hated to admit, but it was too sexy to be unaffected. For the first time in a long time he felt excitement and anticipation. For the first time in his life he felt like one of the characters in the series of books he used to read so avidly in the spare time.

He pulled away at a distance he considered safe, in his mind he repeated that it was for the safety of the woman in front of him, because the urge to grab her face in his hands and kiss her until she lost the breath or asked for more, was almost uncontrollable. "Sakura." He tested the name in his tongue and liked the way it sounded. "I can work with that."

Sakura saw the way he walked away from her after swallowing the sip of tea with some difficulty. She did not lose the way his hand contracted lightly over the cup he held and when she heard him say her name without honorific and in a tone that barely passed a whisper, she felt her heart racing. She could not take her eyes off his lips as he said something else she did not even pay attention. Her eyes wandered over the handsome face, strong chin with a mark, purposefully painted, to make that man even more tempting. His straight, perfect nose and full lips only added more charm, while those dark, lazy eyes closed the package with perfection. Sakura concluded that she was doomed.

"Sakura?" Kakashi called with a smile when he realized she was so focused on looking every inch of his face that she was not even paying attention to what he was talking about.

"Kakashi." She whispered back, blinking a few times realizing he was talking to her and that annoying smile on his face was pure fun at the expense of her paralyzed state. "It's your fault for being so handsome." She mumbled almost irritably. "You should wear a mask all the time, that would be very useful."

Kakashi laughed out loud. "I can do that, if you do too. We could even combine our masks."

Sakura smiled genuinely. She liked the way they could play with any subject and it would look completely natural as if they had known each other for life. Nothing that one would say to the other would bring discomfort or disagreeable silence. No matter how embarrassing the sentence was that one of them said, the other would go along and it would all end with a pleasant joke. "I wear masks all the time, Kakashi-san." She said with a carefree wave of her hand.

"Are we back with the honorific?" He said in a discouraged tone.

Sakura drank the tea and made a sound of pleasure when she tasted the delicious taste of the drink, grateful for the warmth that warmed her throat. Before she could answer Kakashi sat a little away from her, putting down the cup on the counter. "I would have served this a long time ago if I had known it would yield such a stimulating sound."

Sakura blushed with that blatant phrase. She lifted and slapped him on the shoulder. "Perverted." She grunted.

"Damn it." Kakashi shouted and rubbed his shoulder. "You're much stronger than you look." He said with some admiration.

"It's good if you never forget that." She said with a smile, pleased that she'd hurt him enough to change the subject. She liked the flirts, but having such a handsome man talking about the sounds she made, made her realize that she had no one for long. "I think if people hear me calling you so casually, they may have the wrong impression." She added regarding the question he had previously asked.

"I don't care at all." He said with a wink and she laughed.

* * *

Sarada sat on the bed and shifted her feet as she looked around. She had never entered a boy's room and was curious to see how different it was from hers. She had entered Naruto's room many times but remembered that Sakura had long ago warned that she should never take Naruto as a reference for anything. "You have many dolls." She jumped out of bed and walked to the shelf that had several action figures of various characters.

"Do you like?" Sakumo asked gently. He was a little nervous about having a girl in his room for the first time and remembered how the girls at his school twisted their noses whenever he talked about his favorite animes and cartoons.

She nodded with a smile and picked up one of the dolls she recognized. "I love this anime." She said with excitement.

Sakumo wanted to tell her not to touch the dolls because they were just for decoration, but at the sight of her smile, he decided he would let her do whatever she wanted. He thought she was a lot like her mother and Kakashi was talking a lot about the eccentric pink haired woman in the last few days. Sakumo decided that treating well the woman's daughter for whom his father was showing some interest, would be the right thing to do. "I have the last manga that was released, do you want to read?"

Sarada smiled wider and set the doll on the shelf, sitting on the floor with an expectant face. "I want to." She said with enthusiasm.

They read some manga together and talked about their respective schools and friends, finding that both were considered _otakus_ by their classmates, realizing that they had more in common than they appeared. "I'm going to be eight, soon. Do you want to come to my party?" She asked, biting the lip nervously.

Sakumo nodded frantically. "I will." He said with obvious enthusiasm. "I want to meet your room, too." He said innocently.

"We have a fox." Sarada said thinking of something he would like to see that was so exciting as the action figures he showed her. "That's why we came here today."

Sakumo felt his eyes widen at that. "Wow, I want to see." He rose abruptly and pulled her hand, running through the door toward the stairs.

* * *

Kakashi pulled a strand of hair from her face and leaned a little closer to what was considered appropriate, but seeing that she had not backed down since he had sat on the bench beside her, he decided not to stop. Somehow that woman in front of him made him feel more alive than he had in years and he liked the feeling. "Why pink?" He asked as he held hair strands between two fingers. "The green paint had finished when you went to the salon?"

"You're such an idiot sometimes." She said with a laugh. "It's natural, look." She closed the eyes and approached him.

Kakashi thought for a second that she was going to do something illicit in his zealous father's book, but when he focused on her closed eyes, he realized that her eyelashes were pink, a little darker than the tone of the hair and eyebrows, but definitely pink. "I thought you just colored your eyebrows too." He ran the thumb over her lashes and gasped as she opened the eyes, staring at him with that deep, captivating green emeralds.

Sakura realized she was too close to him, but as he was not moving away she took advantage to check his eyelashes as well. She ran the thumb over his eyelid, which closed in reflex. "Seriously you were born with that tone of hair?" She asked almost incredulously.

Kakashi took her hand, holding it in his face and opened the eyes slowly. "Yours is a lot weirder." He teased.

"Shut up." She said smiling and leaning toward him a little more as he squeezed her hand tighter as if he wanted attract her.

"Mommy." Sarada's voice echoed down the hallway, causing them to separate abruptly and look in the direction where the two children were running. "Can we see Kurama?" Sarada asked with a smile.

"I'll check him out." Kakashi rose from the bench and ran his hand through Sarada's hair. "As soon as he's awake I'll call you." He turned to Sakumo and did not lose the way the boy held Sarada's hand tightly, he had to suppress a chuckle. "Why don't you show her our pets, meanwhile?" He suggested.

"Oh." Sakumo exclaimed as if he had forgotten that they too had pets, and pulled Sarada toward anothe door in the kitchen, telling to Sarada they had eight dogs, making the girl gasp as he filled the chest with pride.

"Backyard?" Sakura said to Kakashi. "Will rain." She exclaimed worriedly.

"It's covered." He tapped the tip of her nose. "Owl mother." He sneered.

"I'm not-" She felt his hand on the lower back as he led her into the garage.

"Let's see your fox." He pushed her gently, interrupting her protests.

* * *

"I was serious about the license to have such an animal." Kakashi said a little more seriously than usual as he pulled the needle from the paw of the sleeping fox.

Sakura smiled at him widely, slowly becoming accustomed every time he took on a serious face and posture when addressing an important subject. "Naruto has it somewhere in that war zone that he calls a room." She watched as Kakashi's face changed and she admired a perfect grayish eyebrow raised with curiosity. "He's a biologist." She clarified. "He signed the license himself."

"Biologist." Kakashi repeated. "I would like know him." He added, interested.

Sakura was glad he was interested in meeting her best friend and for some unknown reason her chest warmed up with that. "Naruto is an expert on amphibians." She twisted the wrinkled nose as she remembered the frogs he brought home in college, reminding her that Kurama was the best pet in the world.

"Have you known each other for a long time?" He asked casually, but inside he was being consumed by the curiosity of the kind of relationship she had with a man who shared a house with her.

"An entire life." She laughed lightly. "Naruto was the one who supported me when I had Sarada, we lived together since before she was born." Sakura got lost in thought. "He lost his parents very early and was raised by his great-uncle."

"Sounds like a long story, I want to hear it." Kakashi stated with interest.

"Only if I hear your story in return." She said with a defiant tone.

Kakashi got lost in the glow of her green eyes and for a second wondered if he would be willing to share the story of his life, which he had not shared with many people, in fact he did not remember telling the story of his life to nobody. The people who knew him, knew what they experienced with him and that's all. He saw the way she expected an answer with expectation and decided that if she were to share the story of her life, which was certainly not full of flowers as it appeared, he would share his as well. "We have a deal." He held out his hand and she squeezed firmly in the same second he offered.

"But not today." Sakura added as she stared at the sleeping fox and the raindrops falling through the window.

"I don't see why not. The rain doesn't look like it's going to stop so soon." He stated looking at the window as well. "I heard on the morning news that it would be a storm."

Sakura snorted and mentally said goodbye to her day of laziness. She glanced at the clock and sighed in defeat. _'3 o'clock pm.'_ She vaguely remembered Naruto saying something about him sleeping at his girlfriend's house and not coming home because he could not drive the night because of something he heard on the news and she almost beat herself for not paying attention. Walking to the desk in the room and sitting in the comfortable chair without asking permission, she gave up. "Okay."

Kakashi smiled, pleased. He knew he would not get any patients because of the storm and he was more than happy to be stuck with Sakura, as a bonus Sakumo would have someone to have fun too. He admitted to himself that he was happy to meet Sakura, she was becoming a breath of fresh air amid the constant emotional chaos that was his life. "I'll lock the door and I'll be right back. If Kurama wakes up, scream my name, Sakura." He said the last part with a mischievous smile and winked at her, knowing she would understand the brazen flirtation and the second intention in that sentence. Before she answered, he disappeared through the door, satisfied with the beautiful blush that adorned her cheeks.

* * *

"Now I understand why you're a pervert." Sakura's accusing voice greeted him the moment he returned to the room where she was waiting for him. He felt his eyes widen and hoped his cheeks were not blushing when he saw the book in her hand as she shook the object toward him.

"I'm not a pervert." He fought back and tried to pull the book from her hand, but she pulled it out of his reach so fast it made him stumble forward. Gathering the little dignity he had, he crossed both arms over the chest and stared at her. "It's a very good read, if you ask me."

"Not so good." He was surprised to hear her say that phrase that implied that she had read the book, which surprised him and made him curious and almost euphoric, but he did not show externally. "I think it loses the charm when you first meet the old pervert who wrote it." She swung the book again giving him the chance to steal the book from her hands and squeeze it against his chest to protect the precious item.

Kakashi narrowed the eyes at her. "You read the book?" He asked uncertainly and when she nodded he pulled out a chair and sat facing her. "And you know Jiraya, the Sannin?"

"Pft, Sannin, of course." Sakura sneered. "That old pervert." She grunted. "He's Naruto's great-uncle, of whom I've spoken."

Kakashi ran the hands through the shaggy hair and let out some of the euphoria he was feeling. "You only get better every time I meet you." He looked at the book and at her. "You read my favorite book and you know the author." He looked at her as if he were seeing a personified goddess. "In what world would I have the chance..." He stammered.

"Kakashi." Sakura forgot the honorific. "You're scarring me." She tried not to smile because of his completely childish reaction that made him look completely adorable in her eyes. "I read all the books." She added and saw an even brighter glow take over the man's dark eyes.

She decided to do something that might be too hasty but seeing how he loved that series of doubtful character, she thought he would be happy, and seeing him happy somehow made her feel good. "Sara-chan... She's having a birthday soon and Jiraya-sama always comes to the party, he loves her." She said with a small smile. "I could invite Sakumo and-"

"We'll be there." He said a little too loudly.

Sakura laughed out loud. She could not resist seeing the childlike way as Kakashi jumped out of the chair when she declared that he would be at Sarada's party, without even asking when it would be. "I bet you read the whole serie." She managed to say when she stopped laughing.

He scratched the neck nervously, realizing that he had exceeded before her and probably played the fool. "I have all the promotional items and t-shirts too." He let it out before he could stop himself from looking even fool.

"From the looks of the book, you've read it a million times." She teased and smiled when she saw a light pink tone over his cheeks. "I think the Namikaze family has a lot to thank you for. You must have spent a fortune on all of this and was probably responsible for Naruto's sustenance." She said amused.

"Namikaze?" Kakashi asked thoughtfully.

Sakura nodded. "_Sannin_ is a pseudonym." She clarified. "Namikaze Jiraya is the real name. I think this comes into our agreement as part of my story, as these men are an important part of that." She smiled as she remembered this refreshing part of a rather painful past. "Jiraya-sama is Minato-san's uncle, he created Minato-san when his brother died." She bit the lower lip. "When Minato-san and his wife died in an accident, Naruto was still very young and Jiraya-sama created him after that."

Kakashi looked at her in complete surprise. "Namikaze Minato was my high school teacher."

Sakura felt the eyes widen in surprise as she realized how everything about them was kind of entwined and that maybe they were bound to meet at some point.

"He was my favorite teacher. He introduced me to _Icha Icha_, but he never told me the author was his uncle." Kakashi scratched the chin thoughtfully. He sighed heavily before drastically changing the topic. "I was at the funeral, I didn't greet anyone, I just wanted to pay my last homage to the man I admired."

Sakura thought it was a lot like him, to appear in one place and leave unnoticed, even with the beautiful and striking appearance of him. "I was twelve when the accident happened." She stared at him. "Maybe we passed each other at some point."

"This world is so small." He said with a smile at the thought of having passed her and having lost the unusual color of her hair. "I was seventeen when Minato-sensei died."

"You can tell me your relationship with Minato-san." She said, realizing that Kakashi had a fondness for talking about Naruto's father.

"After you tell me your part." He placed the book on the desk and stood up taking her hand and helping her out of the chair. He took Kurama in his arms and walked into the house. He walked to a spacious room Sakura had not seen before, and placed Kurama on the small couch while pointing to Sakura to sit on the big couch. "It's more comfortable here to pass the time." He said absently as he stared to the rain that only grew heavy every minute, slamming into the living room window.

Kakashi looked away from the window and looked at Sakura who was sitting lazily on his couch, he discovered that he liked very much to see her in his house that way, so comfortable. "Hey, Sakura." Kakashi called her name.

"Hm?" She looked at him with curiosity and a beautiful smile.

"If I'm a pervert for reading Icha Icha, that makes you one, too." He stepped aside in time before a cushion struck him on the head and smiled at how utterly embarrassed she was, and with a beautiful blush adorned her cheeks, he discovered that he loved to see her blushing and liked even more to have her around.

* * *

**Note:** _Thanks for every review. I'm happy that the story was well received._


	3. The Uchihas

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

* * *

**Chapter 3: The** **Uchihas.**

Sakura stared at the steaming cup of tea in the hands, leaning against Kakashi's soft couch, listening to the sound of rain knocking against the window. She lifted the head to meet the dark eyes of the handsome man sitting next to her.

"So you're like family." Kakashi said in a hoarse voice that made Sakura think she could hear him talking for hours without getting tired.

Sakura had told a little about her relationship with Naruto, about which Kakashi seemed to be very interested. She told him how Naruto moved next door when they both had five. She felt a smile draw her lips as she remembered the day she met a strange boy sitting on the swing that hung from the big tree behind her family's house, starting a friendship she would never give up.

Kakashi did not lose the way she smiled when talking about the man who lived with her and he did not understand why a little twinge, of something he did not want to identify, burned in his stomach. "So you two have a relationship..." He cleared the throat as he thought of something to say in a way that would not offend her or imply anything.

"Platonic." Sakura answered before he could elaborate. She did not know why she felt an almost uncontrollable need to make it clear to him that she was completely free and unimpeded. "Naruto is like a brother to me."

Kakashi moved a little closer to her on the couch, almost touching her leg. "That's why he helped you care for your daughter." He insisted, curious about that question.

"Naruto isn't Sarada's father." Sakura took a sip of the tea, trying to calm her stomach as she thought about getting in this subject. "If that's what you want to know." She added belatedly.

Kakashi opened the mouth, but closed it shortly thereafter. He did not want to say that it was exactly what he was thinking, but that statement only made him even more curious. Even wishing to know everything about the beautiful woman in front of him, for reasons unfamiliar to him, since he was never the intrusive type, he decided not to push the subject. They had agreed to talk about the past and she would speak whatever she thought was worth knowing.

"When we were in elementary school we met a boy." She sighed. "He entered the dojo where Naruto and I learned martial arts."

Kakashi listened intently and felt the eyebrows rise with curiosity, but made a mental note to ask her about the martial arts later. He did not want to disrupt her reasoning, even though he was eager to challenge her in a small friendly fight in the near future.

"This kid came into our school just after we met him at the dojo. And despite the constant quarrels between him and Naruto, the three of us became almost inseparable." She looked at the window and felt a pang of sadness as she remembered the past, the raindrops falling from the glass were not helping to improve moody mood. "A few years later we both fell in love and stayed together for three years."

Another sigh escaped her lips. "In the last year of high school I got pregnant. When I told my parents, they supported me, even after a one-hour sermon." She laughed weakly. "When I told Sas- the boy that should not be mentioned." She corrected herself, remembering the pact she had made with Naruto and Ino, years ago.

"Got it. He should not be mentioned." Kakashi repeated and hid the smile behind the tea cup, beginning to get used to the Sakura's eccentricities.

She smiled at him, glad she did not feel as dark as before. "When I told him about the pregnancy, we decided to tell his parents. His mother adored me and she always spoiled him and his older brother. We thought she would help convince his father to support us. He asked me in marriage and said that when his parents knew about the baby, everything would be all right. "

Kakashi noticed how her face took on a pained expression before she continued. "I remember sitting at the big, beautiful table in the dining room of his mansion when his father said I was nothing more than a scammer, opportunist, and many other names I'd rather not repeat. He and his mother stood perfectly still." She blinked a few times to keep the tears away. "None of them defended me or dared to say a single word against him."

"I didn't recognize the boy who had proposed marriage to me so passionately hours before he faced his father. I thought that if he was not man enough to defend the girl he said he loved, he would not be able to take care of a child, of my child." She continued to watch the rain fall against the window. "I left that house without looking back, determined to do everything myself. I never saw him again after that day."

"A few days later I was coming back from Jiraya-sama's house with Naruto." She said with a genuine smile. "We had chosen boy and girl names for the baby." The smile died again. "There was a black car in front of my parents's house, I knew it was from that family. Naruto also acknowledged and told me that after what happened, he had gone to the boy's house we once called a friend, and they fought when Naruto accused him of being a coward."

She set the empty cup on the table and leaned against the couch, staring at the ceiling. "Naruto said that the boy's father separated the fight, but before throwing Naruto out he said that Naruto was going to regret bitterly for hurting his son and that he was sure Naruto was the father of my baby." She let out a bitter laugh.

"When we got into my parents's house, there were suitcases in the doorway, my parents were in the kitchen, I remember my dad sitting, staring at the table and my mother with her back to me, her shoulders shaking, I think she was crying." Sakura closed the eyes tightly with the memory. "My father told me to go away with Naruto, he said that they could not help me take care of the baby, I thought after the conversation with that family, I would never disappoint like that again. I proved myself wrong."

She felt Kakashi's warm hand tightening on hers and with that comforting gesture, she continued. "I remember hearing Naruto yelling at my father, but I was too stunned to hear the words they exchanged. When I called my mother and she refused to look at me, I picked my suitcases and left. Later, Naruto handed me an envelope that my father had given him. "

"What was in the envelope?" Kakashi asked after a few seconds of silence.

"Money." She opened the eyes and stared at him. "That man threatened my parents with his damn power and money. I'd rather believe my parents only took that money for me and Sarada."

"What did you do?" He asked hesitantly.

"I put the money in the mailbox the next day." She laughed humorlessly. "I would never accept the cursed money from that man. My parents should know that, after all they educated me." She said with a little anger. "They should know I was never going to take that money. I just wish they had the courage to face that man." She closed the eyes again feeling tired. "You can only expect the worst of an Uchiha." She whispered to herself.

"Uchiha?" Kakashi said in a cold voice that Sakura had never heard coming out of his mouth before, he squeezed her hand more tightly than was necessary. Sakura opened the eyes again and tilted the head in confusion.

Kakashi let go of her hand as he realized he had overreacted. "I'm sorry."

"Did you have the unpleasantness of meeting an Uchiha?" She asked genuinely curious, happy to change the subject.

Kakashi nodded. "You can say that." He took her hand again, but gently this time. "But your story is not over yet." He smiled at her. "You had a happy ending after all this, right?"

She returned his smile and nodded. "A week after I moved to Naruto's house, Jiraya sold the house and bought the house we live in today. He said leaving the Hidden Village and coming to the center of Konoha would be better for us."

She looked at Kakashi and thought how she had put so much trust in him in such a short time. "Jiraya forced me to enroll in college. I locked up for six months after Sarada's birth. When I went back, he and Naruto took care of her in the morning while I went to college. In the afternoon when Naruto went to biology class, I took Sarada to the flower shop of my friend Ino where I worked part time. The night Jiraya and Naruto took turns if she woke up while I worked in a bar."

"Wow." Kakashi sounded impressed. "When did you sleep?"

"Mothers don't sleep, Kakashi." She declared with a laugh.

He agreed with her at that point. "Some fathers don't either." He murmured.

She bit the lip and leaned the head against his shoulder, a little afraid she was crossing a line, but as she felt him move against her, she relaxed. "It's your turn now."

* * *

Kakashi snuggled up beside her, enjoying the warmth, pleased with the contact, but deep down he was a bit frightened at how close they had come in such a short time and what terrified him most was the fact that he wanted more of this closeness. "What you want to know?" He asked, ignoring his own inner battle.

"Hmm." She tapped the chin thoughtfully. "Although I want to hear about a _chibi_ Kakashi." She laughed lightly. "I want to know about your relationship with the mysterious Uchiha and how you ended creating Sakumo, apparently alone."

Kakashi sighed and Sakura realized it was something delicate, but she had opened her heart to him and knew he would reciprocate, so she waited patiently.

"I met Uchiha Obito and Nohara Rin in elementary school." He began with a distant voice, as if lost in another time and space. "We were inseparable, they were the brothers that I never had."

He felt Sakura's small hand caress his skin with her delicate thumb and resisted the urge to smile. "When we were in high school, Rin confessed to me. I rejected her because I always knew how Obito felt about her and I never allowed myself to feel a single romantic thing about her. I wanted them to be happy together at some point."

He felt the heart race as he said every word, because he had never said those things aloud and it was as if his heart was opening for the first time. It was not as bad as he thought it would be.

"When Obito discovered that I rejected her, he almost killed me." Kakashi laughed without humor. "He said he would never forgive me if I hurt her and made me promise that I would date her and make her happy."

"Did you love her?" Sakura asked in a whisper.

"Not romantically." He answered without delay. "But I promised anyway." Obito told me that love would change over time and everything would be fine. He said that Rin always loved me and I was the only one able to make her happy. " He snorted. "I was an idiot for believing in him."

Sakura felt her heart ache with the desolate expression on his face, but all she did was continue stroking his hand.

"When we were in senior year of college, Rin told me she was pregnant." He decided to shorten the story because the knot that formed in his throat was getting more uncomfortable with every word uttered. "I was terrified, but before I could say anything to her." He stared at Sakura for a few seconds before revealing the most humiliating thing that had ever happened in his life.

With a defeated sigh, he continued. "She said she didn't knew if I was the father." He tried to ignore the beautiful, wide green eyes, staring at him with a certain compassion and understanding. "Do you want to hear the best part?" He did not wait for Sakura's reply. "She didnt know if the father was me or Obito."

"Oh my God." Sakura gasped. "But, was he who pushed her to you." She screamed with a mixture of indignation and surprise.

Kakashi could only nod. "That's what I thought, too." He looked at Sakura's hands that still held his. "Apparently they were having an affair behind my back. I didn't have the nerve or the urge to ask how long that was going on." Kakashi remembered the horrible feeling of being stabbed in the back by the two people he trusted the most, the pain still felt real even after all this time. "Maybe they've been doing it since high school."

He leaned back on the couch lazily. "I was stuck with her for five years because of a stupid promise I did to him, while they laughed of me." He scoffed at himself.

"I'm sorry, Kakashi." Sakura said sweetly. "You deserved better."

"Maybe not." He replied seriously. A few seconds later Sakura's hand caressing his cheek made him squeeze the eyes.

"Don't say that. You're a good man." She realized she was stroking his face as his lips brushed her fingers, making her move the hand away as if it had been burned. She wanted to hit herself by acting so intimately with him, but something in her mind screamed that it just seemed too good to stop now. Even if the rational part of her, said it was too much, too fast, too close.

Kakashi wanted to say that she was wrong, that she did not know him and that she did not know how many mistakes he had made in his life, but he did not want her to run or leave him. For some reason he wanted her around. When her hand moved away from his face, he almost sighed in relief, realizing that her closeness was making him so much comfortable. That scared him.

Deciding to finish that sad story as quickly as possible, doing his part in the deal he had made with Sakura, he continued. "I didn't have the courage to expel her even after that confession, so I said that I would support her until we knew if the baby was mine. She continued in my apartment until Sakumo was born."

"And he was undeniably your son." Sakura added with a smile.

Kakashi smiled back, running a hand through his white hair. "Definitely my son." He laughed with her.

"In the end, I was able to finish my graduation in veterinary, but Rin had to stop medicine. We lived under the same roof for a while. When Sakumo completed one year old, she left, returning to Hidden Village, deciding that wanted to become at least a nurse." Looking away from Sakura, afraid to see some accusation in her eyes. "I felt relieved when she was gone."

"I don't blame you for that." Hearing that phrase from her, made him feel a wave of indescribable relief. "What happened to Uchiha Obito?" He heard her ask.

"The last thing I remember was invading the college dormitory where he lived and punching his face until I released all my anger." Kakashi confessed without guilt. "I think that Rin continued to see him, after telling me about their affair."

"How did you take care of Sakumo alone after she left?" Sakura asked, deciding not to talk about Uchihas anymore.

"My biggest help was my father. He bought this house with retirement after leaving the Police Force and helped me with Sakumo." Kakashi had a silly grin on his face as he spoke about the father. "He helped me leave the Police, which was not easy, but that is a history for another day." He added at the curious look on her face and almost laughed when she snorted disgruntled. "When Rin left, I set up a Veterinary clinic here."

"Where is your father?" She asked.

"Traveling around the world with an old friend. Which happens to be the father of my best friend." He tapped the tip of her nose. "And that covers my share of the deal." He added before she asked another question.

"Just one more thing." She said quickly before he changed his mind. "Why did she come back?" Sakura said in a whisper, as if she was afraid to mention it.

Kakashi cleared the throat. "She disappeared for almost seven years, but last year she found out where I lived, didn't ask me how, and asked me to be part of Sakumo's life. I let him make the choice."

"You're a great dad, Kakashi-san." Sakura stated.

"Stop using honorifics, Sakura." He leaned closer to her as he scolded her.

Sakura leaned further on the couch unconsciously, feeling a child because of the scolding tone he used and the way he soared over her. "Right." She whispered to him, almost submissive.

Kakashi felt her warm breath blow through his chin and regretted to get so close. The submissive way she responded, made him feel things he knew he should not and cursed himself for his choice of constant reading. As he laid a hand on the couch to pull away from her, realizing that position was too dangerous for the health of his sanity, Sakura's knee jerked his hand away, making him unbalance.

"Kakashi." Sakura screamed as she fell from the couch, landing on his chest with a loud thud that woke Kurama. Kakashi almost moaned at the way she screamed his name before the impact.

"What are you two playing?" Sakumo's amused voice echoed through the living room, making them both look up before being attacked by eight dogs.

"Do you have a pack?" Sakura grunted through the licks she was receiving all over her face and Kakashi wished, not for the first time in his life, to be a dog.

"Look, Kumara woke up." Sarada said in a happy tone, taking the fox in her arms carefully. "Let's play with him in your room." She pulled the boy's arm and they both disappeared up the stairs.

"Hatake Sakumo, the dogs stay outside." Kakashi's angry voice was completely ignored.

He and Sakura fought in vain against the eight dogs that apparently liked the new friend of their owner very much. When Sakura's laughter echoed through the room, through the dog barking. Kakashi lay back on the rug beside her, deciding that it was better to join them than try to beat them. Longing to hear her laughter many more times.

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**Note:**_ I had this whole chapter in my head, but for some reason I didn't know how to write it. Weirdness apart, I hope n__ot to disappoint__._


	4. The visitors

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, ****if I did, Kakashi would have suffered a little less.**

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**Chapter 4: The Visitors.**

The sound of hurried footsteps through the corridors, stretchers being pushed everywhere, the smell of the bitter coffee that served in the diner, all these elements were common to her and made she feel good, but that day, for some unknown reason, Sakura was apprehensive.

Knowing her instincts that never failed to warn her into something nasty that was about to happen, she mentally braced herself for anything.

She lost count of how many times she called Naruto and Sarada that morning to make sure they were all right, and after hearing Naruto threatening to hang up his phone the rest of the day, she decided to drop the paranoia and focus on the patients she should check.

"Good afternoon." She greeted the silent room and almost hit herself for forget that this patient was in a coma, unable to respond.

Sakura walked over to the bed, checked the clipboard with patient data, and was pleased to learn that the nurses done sponge bathed and massaged the patient's muscles to prevent atrophy. She looked at the beautiful woman lying unconscious on the bed and sighed.

Memories of Kakashi's story made her stomach tighten. And even trying very hard, Sakura couldn't understand how anyone could betray a man like Kakashi, especially with his best friend.

"Don't get involved, Haruno." She muttered aloud as she shook the head to get rid of the intrusive thoughts.

"Excuse me." A nurse suddenly came into the room and Sakura almost jumped with fright. "There is a visitor to this patient." She heard the nurse announce and nodded, letting her know the visitor could come in.

Sakura smiled at the thought of seeing Kakashi so early after the peaceful day they spent together at his house last weekend. She and Sarada left the house early in the evening when the storm became just a light drizzle. Kakashi had prepared dinner and she smiled unconsciously remembering how cute he looked in that white apron written 'Best Dad Ever' in a child's handwriting that she guessed it was Sakumo's gift on some commemorative date.

They had spoken by phone after that day when she called him using Kurama as an excuse. She was surprised when he called her back using the same excuse and Sakura was never so happy to have a fox.

"You came early today." She said when she heard the bedroom door open and close. "Rin-san remains unconscious, but her heart rate is steady and the sensory tests are responding better and better, Kakashi." She turned slowly to face the man who had been in her mind for the past few days and felt silly for wanting Wednesday to come faster.

"Sorry to disappoint." A completely different voice greeted her, making Sakura look up a little alarmed. "I'm not Kakashi." The stranger's voice sounded more amused than annoyed by her mistake.

"No, you're not." She answered weakly as she faced the tall, tanned man with dark hair and dark eyes and she decided he was the complete opposite of Kakashi.

"I'm so sorry." She added, trying to ignore that feeling that something bad was coming. The sensation that had plagued her all day returned even more intensely with the mere appearance of this man.

Glancing at the clock on her wrist, she realized it was an hour before Kakashi and Sakumo used to visit Rin, and she felt stupid for missing that important detail.

"Uchiha Obito." The man with the piercing voice greeted her and Sakura felt a chill run down her spine when heard the name. She studied the features of the man who was so close to her and she almost struck herself for not realizing him approaching before it was too late.

"Haruno Sakura." She greeted him back, taking the professional stance, trying with all her will to put the personal feelings aside. "I'm Nohara Rin's doctor." She said more to herself than to him, trying to remind herself that here she was Rin's doctor and not Kakashi's friend.

"I heard about the accident not long ago." He muttered as he walked toward the bed.

Sakura saw the man caress the sleeping woman's face and didn't miss the loving way he looked at her._ 'He loves her._' She thought immediately and walked toward him.

She told about the accident and explained about Rin's condition, taking a closer look at the Uchiha. She noticed that he was handsome and a little taller than Kakashi. She noticed that he had a stoic expression but she knew it was the fault of the Uchiha genes, because the way the man spoke was kind, which reminded her of a teenage Sasuke, and she definitely hated that train of thought and forced herself to focus solely on the patient.

Sakura felt suffocated being in the same room as this man, she just didn't know if it was because looking at him reminded her of the most painful time in her life, or if being around him made her feel like she was betraying confidence from Kakashi somehow.

All she knew was that she needed to get out and that was what she did. Giving some excuse about having to visit other patients, she left the man alone with the love of his life.

As she entered the next room a sigh of relief left her mouth involuntarily and she realized her instincts were sharp as ever. The apparition of that Uchiha was not a good thing and she knew something worse was coming.

* * *

Almost an hour and a half later, Sakura walked toward the diner, willing to eat and relax for at least five minutes before something urgent appeared.

"Sakura." A familiar voice made her stop abruptly and turn toward the owner of the voice. She couldn't stop the smile that adorned her lips as she saw his beautiful smile directed at her.

"Kakashi." She walked toward him as if she had no control over her own feet. "It's so good to see you." She said before she could stop herself, but she didn't regret it when she saw him smile even more.

"You missed me, Doctor." He stated with a pang of arrogance in his voice.

Sakura realized that he had stated that sentence as a statement and not a question. "Don't be convinced." She replied with the same jesting tone he used with her.

"I'm just stating an undisputed fact."

"You're an idiot." She said with a laugh as she approached him. "Where is Sakumo?" She asked belatedly when she noticed the lack of the miniature version of Kakashi.

"Oh, he went straight to Rin's room." Kakashi stated as he offered to Sakura an arm. She hooked her arm in his without thinking twice.

They walked down the hall toward Rin's room and Sakura felt a wave of panic flood her when she remembered that they weren't the only visitors of that day.

"Sakumo." She said a little loudly for what was considered a reasonable volume in a hospital, sighing with relief as the boy's hand froze in front of the door, a distance she considered safe.

"Yo, Sakura-san." The boy greeted with a smile and turned the knob so fast she couldn't stop him.

"Damn it." She mumbled to herself, letting go of Kakashi's arm and running after Sakumo.

"Sakura, you are weirder than usual-" Kakashi felt the words die in his mouth when he saw the last person he expected to see.

"Kakashi." Obito's hoarse voice broke the tense silence that had fallen over the room.

Before Kakashi could sketch any reaction, Sakura put one hand on Obito's back, grabbed Kakashi's arm with the other hand and guided them out of the door. "Take your time, Sakumo-kun." She said over her shoulder, ignoring the confused expression on the boy's face.

* * *

"All right." Sakura gave a frustrated sigh as they reached the corridor. "Whatever you have in mind, just remember this is a hospital." She stated seriously, facing the men in front of her, making sure they understood the implication of what she had said.

"Did you tell her?" Obito asked, staring at Kakashi with a raised eyebrow.

He hadn't had contact with his former best friend since the college incident, but he knew Kakashi had always been reserved and cautious with everyone around him except him, Rin, Professor Minato and his own father. Obito was genuinely surprised to think that Kakashi had let someone in, especially a woman, after what he and Rin had done to him.

It hurt Obito to remember their past, and he bitterly brooded over what he had done almost every day, a mistake that cost the friendship of the only person he had ever admired in his life, and he knew that the _damage_ he had done was irreparable.

Kakashi felt his left eye twitch as he heard Obito talking to him so casually and he thanked for being in a hospital because he feared he might have a nervous breakdown at any moment. "Go to hell." He said in a monotonous tone like he was talking about the weather and decided he needed to get out of there.

Sakura watched the exchange between them and when Kakashi simply turned his back and walked down the hallway toward what she hoped was her office, she almost sighed with relief. She didn't want him to be banned from going back to the hospital if he and this Obito had a deadly fight in the middle of the corridor.

She nodded to herself and turned her back to follow Kakashi as Obito's voice made her stop.

"I remember you." Sakura heard him say and felt an unpleasant chill run down her spine. She turned abruptly to face him and wished her facial expression wouldn't deliver what she was feeling at the moment, because it was pure despair.

"It's not often that you see someone with that hair tone." He continued with a small smile as he pointed a finger at his own hair to emphasize the point.

"Where you-" She stammered.

"Sasuke-kun has a picture of you next to his bed." He stepped forward and she stepped back unconsciously.

Obito watched her rigid posture and how she turned away from him, making him realize that he had crossed an invisible line. "I'm sorry." He grunted, remembering the whole story Itachi had told about Sasuke's ex-girlfriend and how his little brother let their father kick her out of his life without him having the courage to fight with the overbearing man.

"I-" Sakura tried to say something, but she was too stunned to form any coherent sentence. A hand squeezing her arm tightly brought her back to reality.

"Stay away from her." She heard Kakashi say through clenched teeth. "And you better not tell your cousin she's here." He tried to look as threatening as possible and when Obito's eyes widened in amazement he realized that he succeeded in his attempt.

Before Obito could say anything, Kakashi left, pulling Sakura with him.

* * *

"Are you alright?" Kakashi's tone was fraught with concern.

Sakura forced herself to breathe and accepted the glass of water he offered. "He will come back?" She asked weakly.

Kakashi felt his heart sink at the sight of her so vulnerable, and he couldn't resist the urge to comfort her. Sitting beside her on the couch he pulled her close and put his arm around her shoulders. "Don't worry about Obito, he's an idiot but it doesn't mean any harm to you."

"But his presence is bad for you." She decided to focus on kakashi rather than the fear she was feeling about the slightest chance that Obito would say anything about her to Sasuke. The last thing she needed was Uchihas trying to take her daughter away.

"I can handle it." He comforted her. "Sakumo will not stop seeing his mother and I'm sure Obito's stay will be extended. So..." He left the last part open knowing that Sakura was smart to understand.

"You're a good man Kakashi." She said looking into his eyes and allowing herself to relax in his embrace.

Kakashi got lost in the green of her eyes and shook the head trying to push some inappropriate thoughts away. With each passing day he became more attracted to Sakura and it scared him. He was fighting with himself to maintain a distance that he considered safe. But with her so close, it was becoming harder and harder to resist the temptation to allow himself to lose control and simply do what his instincts wanted him to do.

"I'm not that good." He mumbled more to himself than to her, and thought that if she knew the things he thought when he was around her, if she got a little glimpse of the things he wanted to do to her, Sakura would surely change her mind about him.

Sakura smiled when she heard him say that and simply ignored it. She didn't lose the way he looked at her, fixing his eyes mostly on her lips and she had to resist the urge to approach of him.

She was terrified of the way she longed for closeness when she was around him and sometimes she thought maybe it was she who wasn't a good person, because if Kakashi knew the way she saw him as one of the characters in the stupid Jiraya's books, maybe he would walk away from her and that was the last thing she wanted.

After so long without letting anyone in, all she wanted was to preserve what they had, whatever it was.

They both fell silent, their bodies closer than would be appropriate, and took advantage of their time together before Sakumo returned or any nurse entered the office and dragged Sakura into an emergency.

She found that Wednesday was her favorite day.

* * *

It was Friday morning and tomorrow was her day off. Sakumo had personally asked Sakura to take Sarada to his house so they could watch a new anime or something. Sakura wasn't really listening to the boy's babbling as her mind traveled as it would be later in the company of Kakashi at his house. A silly smile came over her lips and she wished that day was over soon.

"Sakura-chan." Moegi called, causing Sakura to look up and face the redhead behind the hospital reception desk. "Someone is looking for you." The girl pointed to the corridor near the entrance where the visitor was hidden by a coffee machine.

"Thank you, Moegi-chan." She thanked her and walked in the direction the girl had pointed.

Sakura read a patient's chart as she walked toward the coffee machine. "How can I help?" She asked the moment she spotted the person Moegi mentioned.

She watched as if in slow motion, the moment the person turned to face her. Sakura felt her heart race faster than was considered healthy and the pen slipped from her sweat-soaked hand.

The sound of the pen falling against the floor brought her back to reality.

"What you want?" She heard herself saying, and the tone she used seemed cold and resentful even to her own ears. She didn't regret it, he deserved worse.

"Sakura..." His tone was sweet and kind, almost longing.

Sakura closed the eyes tightly and refused to allow him to take any reaction from her. "Why are you here?" She asked with less venom in her tone this time, but it didn't lessen the knot in her stomach that had formed at the mere sight of him.

"I came to see you." He adopted a more erect posture and she realized that the shock of seeing her had passed. "Do you have a minute?"

She tried to ignore how vulnerable he looked, even as she tried to hide behind the Stoic facade. Looking at him more closely she thought he looked a lot like his older brother.

"You have one minute." She grunted and put the feet on the floor so he understood she wasn't going anywhere with him.

He nodded and stepped closer to her. "Did you have the baby?"

Sakura knew this was coming and she mentally braced herself for years, but not all training and mental simulations would help her at that time. The only answer she could give was a nod and she swore she saw a small smile on the corner of his lips, but disappeared as quickly as it came.

"I want to meet." He said right then. "Please." He added belatedly.

"It's not my choice." Sakura said reluctantly, remembering the good example Kakashi had given her when he allowed Sakumo to be the one to decide whether he wanted Rin to be part of his life or not. She bit the inside of her cheek so as not to back down that statement, trying to act mature when all she wanted was to scream and run like a frightened child.

"Can you talk to him for me?" Sasuke asked.

"She." Sakura corrected. "I'll talk to her. Leave your phone number with the girl at the reception." She turned to leave but felt his hand gripping her arm. She tried very hard not to narrow the eyes, but failed miserably.

Sasuke released her arm as if it had burned his hand, and if he was the boy who left her years ago, maybe she would have the ability to burn him with that withering look. But he had changed over the years. The fact that he was there, completely unarmed and willing to beg for a chance to fix things with her and their kid, was proof of that, or so he thought.

The moment the phone rang and he heard Obito say he had found the pink-haired girl he had never forgotten, Sasuke thought that maybe someone was giving him a second chance and he would be a fool to waste it.

"Your minute is over." Sakura said and pointed a finger at the watch on her wrist to emphasize the point.

"Just..." He paused before reaching into his pants pocket and pulling out the wallet.

Sakura felt her heart tighten and she refused to shed a single tear. All she did was watch and wait for what would come next, but knowing the Uchihas as she did, she knew exactly how this scene would unfold.

"I know it's not much and won't repair any _damage_ but-" Sasuke took out some money bills and reached out but was interrupted by the death glare on the beautiful woman's face standing in front of him. It reminded him of how much he loved the way she could express a million feelings within seconds.

"I don't want your money." She interrupted him before he could finish that sentence.

"Please." He insisted.

"If you insist I will do the same as I did when your father offered me money to abort my daughter and tear one by one of this damn money." Sakura said through clenched teeth, trying not to shed a single tear at the memory of the man who tried to destroy her life more often than she would like to remember.

"My father did what?" Sasuke asked completely stunned. He felt as if he'd been hit by a ton of bricks, and Sakura's teary gaze only made him feel even worse.

"Leave your number phone with Moegi-chan." She turned to leave without giving him a chance to say anything. "And please don't come to my workplace anymore."

Sasuke watched her disappear into the white corridor and his heart pounding at the thought that it was too late to try to correct past mistakes.

* * *

**Note:** _Thank you for the reviews. I love reading your opinion._


	5. the Confessions

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

* * *

**Chapter 5: The ****Confessions.**

Sakura stared at the glass Naruto had set before her.

"You're not going to turn the contents of this glass into anything else if that's what you're trying to do." He mocked, bringing her back to reality.

"I think I'll need something stronger than that." She pushed the glass of orange juice away.

"Right." He replied with a sigh as he serving a small glass with sake that was stored at the top of the cupboard. "It's still early but I think you'll need it." He handed her the glass and filled one for himself. "And me too." He grunted as he sat across from her at the kitchen table.

"So... the old friend, or rather, the current enemy of your new friend, tell to _that person_ where you're working?" He asked, trying to connect all the points in the story she had told him. "I can't believe the bastard showed up after all these years as if nothing had happened." He snorted indignantly.

Sakura had come home late the night before, and since she didn't bother to call or send a message through Moegi or Konohamaru, Naruto lay awake waiting for her. He was surprised when she came home so stunned that she didn't even realize he was on the living room couch.

When she sat in the armchair and stared at the wall for a few seconds in complete silence, Naruto was really worried. She was pale, as if she'd seen a ghost and when he called her name and she jumped in fright, he decided something was completely wrong with her.

"_He_ returned." It was the only thing she said to him before broke, and even without her saying the name, Naruto knew exactly who _he_ was. She cried like a child and Naruto felt his heart tighten at the thought that their whole damn past had come back to torment them when everything seemed to be at peace.

He decided not to ask her anything and just hugged her tightly while his best friend wept in his chest. They slept cuddling on the couch, drowning their fears together without saying a single word.

The next morning they remained silent as they ate breakfast together, him, Sakura and Sarada. And the second Sarada disappeared into the living room, he asked about the night before and listened carefully to every detail.

She rambled a bit about her new friend during the conversation. Naruto had heard about this Hatake and his son. He was glad Sakura found a nice guy and if he came with a little friend to Sarada, it would get even better. All he wanted was to see the two most important women in his life happy. He would die for it.

And that was exactly why knowing _that person_ was back, terrified him. He knew that a dark storm was approaching because according to his personal experience, Uchihas had a destructive tendency, or at least part of the family had, Naruto was never the type to generalize something or judge someone without giving the benefit of the doubt before. But _his_ apparition was a bad omen, and Naruto knew that unquestionably.

Sakura just nodded, affirming his statement. "He offered me money."

"Of course he did." Naruto laughed bitterly.

"I refused." She said through clenched teeth, but lowered her voice in fear that Sarada might hear. "But unfortunately I told him about his father offering me money for abortion."

He held her hand on the table, glancing sideways as Sarada walked to the sink for a glass of water. "No matter what you said, it'll be all right. I won't let _him_ hurt you, nor Sarada." He whispered to her.

A knock on the door interrupted the whispered conversation.

"Let me answer while you keep whispering to each other." Sarada grunted as she walked to the kitchen door leading to the backyard. "And don't think I didn't hear something about someone hurting anyone, hn." She added petulantly, making Sakura smile for the first time that day.

"Good morning my precious flower." Konohamaru's cheerful voice burst into the kitchen. "I brought your favorite cake." He handed Sarada a bag, and she ran to the sink to cut and serve the cake.

"Who died?" He asked with a worried expression when he saw Naruto and Sakura's faces still sitting, holding each other's hands on the table.

"I get it, adult conversation, I'm leaving." Sarada stated when Naruto and Sakura stared at her at the same time. She set some plates whit cake on the table and walked out of the kitchen carrying her own piece of cake, which she hoped no one would realize was bigger than everyone else's.

Konohamaru sat next to Sakura and listened as she explained everything.

"So Sarada's father suddenly appears and wants to be part of her life?" He stated when she finished explaining the whole story.

"I only have one father... and this one has pink hair." Sarada's voice caught the attention of the adults who were so involved in the conversation that they missed her presence in the kitchen.

"Sara-chan." Sakura said in a voice that sounded like a whining cry.

Sarada walked toward the table and wrapped her arms around Sakura's shoulders. "If this person made you so distressed, I don't want anything to do with him." She whispered lightly as she hugged her mother. "Anyone who makes you feel that way..." She wiped a lost tear that Sakura hadn't even realized had escaped. "...I don't want around us."

She smiled at Sakura before walking toward the living room again, not wanting to miss a minute of the program she was watching on TV.

"She's a great girl." Konohamaru stated with a smile as Sarada disappeared mumbling something about adults and their unnecessary complications.

"The best." Naruto and Sakura said at the same time with a smile on their face and at that moment Sakura realized that all was not so bad as it seemed, because she would not be alone no matter what came.

* * *

"I open, I open, I open..." Sarada sang as she ran toward the front door as a frantic knock echoed through the living room.

Sakura smiled, glancing over the book she was reading. The smile gave way to wide eyes when she saw two heads with white hair entering the front door. "Oh my god I completely forgot." She exclaimed, feeling guilty for being so stunned by the Uchiha's return, that she forgot that she had arranged to have lunch at Kakashi's house.

"I brought lunch." He lifted a large bag while smiling at her shyly.

She jumped off the couch, placing the book on a table. "I help you with that." She took the smaller bag Sakumo was carrying and stroked the white hair of the miniature version of Kakashi.

"Why didn't you remind me?" Sakura asked Sarada.

"You were so upset all morning that I thought you wanted to stay in home." She responded by shrugging and pulling Sakumo by the hand. "Can we go to my room?" She asked hopefully.

Sakura nodded and when they disappeared upstairs, she walked toward the kitchen with Kakashi right behind her.

"How did you know where I live?" She asked Kakashi, unable to contain a smile of joy as she saw him in her kitchen.

"You gave me your address the day you took Kurama to the clinic, remember?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

Sakura afforded to blush for asking such a silly question.

"So." Kakashi cleared his throat and folded his arms, leaning back against the kitchen counter beside her. "What made you so upset that you forgot your promise to see me?" He fixed his eyes on her face, watching, waiting for the slightest change in her expressions to try to figure out anything.

Sakura felt pressured under Kakashi's calculating gaze. It was at these times that she remembered that he worked for the police and she almost took pity on any suspect who had to face an interrogation in a small room with that man.

Kakashi watched her move uncomfortably and mentally berated himself, because the last thing he wanted was to make her feel obliged to tell him something, all he wanted was for her to open to him on her own, just like she had done that stormy afternoon in his home.

Sakura jumped when she felt his hand on hers and she hadn't noticed they were silent for several minutes until he spoke first. "You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to."

His gentle voice, accompanied by an equally affectionate look, made her completely fall apart and she gave in. At that moment she realized she would say all and anything to him and that scared her, but she didn't let on.

"Sarada's parent showed up at the hospital last night." She stated in a low voice, trying to sound firm even though she felt desolate inside.

"I'm going to kill Obito." Kakashi declared through clenched teeth, moving away from the counter and taking a few steps toward her.

"Don't do it." She stated in a high voice, not knowing how to act when she saw him so fiercely angry. She stepped forward, closing the distance between them and placing both hands on his chest, staring at the buttons of the polo shirt he wore, as if those buttons had the answers to all her problems.

"I can handle it, Kakashi." She stated in a whisper, but she had never been so sure of anything in her life. She would face Uchiha Sasuke this time regardless of what he had in store for her. "And today Sarada said she wants nothing to do with him, so that makes things a lot easier for me."

Kakashi put his right hand on the side of her neck, entwining his fingers in her hair, forcing her to look at him. "You don't have to do anything alone." He said back in the same low, whispered tone she used. "I'm here if you need to. And I have experience with annoying Uchihas." He smiled at the end of the sentence, glad to see her smile back.

Sakura had no words to say, she searched her mind for something clever but nothing came. She blamed his closeness and his hoarse whispered voice, doing things to her she hadn't felt in a long time.

The kitchen door opened abruptly and Naruto stood in the doorway facing his best friend hugging a very handsome man. "We have a rule in this house, Sakura-chan." He stated in a serious tone after a few awkward seconds of silence.

He tried very hard not to laugh at the mortified expression on their faces, as if they were two children caught in the cookie jar. "I'm kidding." He laughed out loud.

"You're an idiot." Sakura grunted, taking a few steps aside, concentrating on pulling the food canisters out of the bag, ignoring Naruto's laugh.

"You're the famous Hatake." Naruto stated, crossing the kitchen to greet the man.

"I'm a Hatake, but I'm not sure about being famous." Kakashi returned the smile and shook Naruto's hand when he offered.

"Believe me, buddy, you're famous around here. Everything Sakura talks about lately has to do with you."

"Na-ru-to." Sakura shouted through clenched teeth, stepping toward her noisy blond friend.

"No need to resort to violence Sakura-chan." Naruto shouted in a desperate tone, hiding behind Kakashi.

Kakashi watched the interaction with interest and looked over his shoulder at the guy who was the same height as him. "She in violent tendencies?" He asked with an amused tone, almost laughing as Sakura lowered her raised hand toward Naruto.

"I assume I have some violent tendencies." She said gravely as she smoothed the front of her white T-shirt. "But don't worry because it only happens around Naruto."

"Oy." Naruto screamed indignantly and left the refuge behind Kakashi. He walked to the counter, forgetting all about Sakura's offense when he smelled food. "Where did you buy it from?" He rummaged through the bowls, absorbing the delicious aroma.

"Kakashi did that." Sakura declared with a smile and patted his hand before he could steal a piece of chicken from the bowl.

Naruto turned and patted Kakashi's shoulder as if they were old friends. "Man, I totally approve this relationship."

Sakura opened her mouth to say that there was no relationship he could approve of, but Kakashi smiled at her, and the malice present in that smile made her realize that she was about to blush ten shades of red by the time he opened his mouth.

"Go wash your hands and bring the kids." Sakura pushed Naruto out of the kitchen without giving him a chance to protest.

Kakashi heard she sigh with relief and watched as she carried the containers to the table. He crossed his arms, unwilling to help, as he had made the entire lunch alone.

"You didn't finish telling me about _that person_." He didn't know the man's name, since it was obvious Sakura avoided using Uchiha's name. He didn't want to call him Sarada's father either, because after Sakura called the parent man, it was obvious she didn't consider him a father. And Kakashi wouldn't jug her for it. He never even thought Rin was too much of a mother to Sakumo, but he would never say that in front of his son.

She sighed again, but that was an almost defeated sigh. "_He_ showed up at the hospital last night asking to meet Sarada."

Kakashi followed her to the table and pulled her into a chair, sitting beside her.

"Sarada doesn't want to meet him." She stared at his thumb that was circling her hand. "Am I a bad person for being happy about this?"

"Of course not." Kakashi squeezed her hand more firmly. "I'll confess something, just for you." He watched her look up at him with an expectant, almost childlike expression, and he tried to resist the urge to reach her face, but failed miserably.

Sakura felt his palm caress her cheek and leaned into the touch. "You can trust me with anything, Kakashi."

Hearing she speak in that sweet tone of voice, while those vibrant green eyes stared at him so familiarly, made him think and wish he could trust her and for the first time in many years, Kakashi wanted to trust someone again.

"I didn't want Sakumo to approach Rin when she returned last year." He said in a low voice, sharing this dirty secret with her.

"Maybe we aren't such good people." Sakura stated with an almost mischievous smile and she didn't miss the way he approached her even more.

"Since I'm confessing things, I need to make another confession." He said with his voice still low.

Sakura felt an invisible tug, and she moved closer to him, deciding that she was tired of trying to resist the closeness he offered, an closeness she wanted so intensely in recent days.

Kakashi felt his heart race and his mouth went suddenly dry. He felt ridiculous for looking like an insecure teenager. He'd never made a confession to a woman before, and the only romantic relationship experience he'd ever had in his life was disastrous to say the least.

But he no longer wanted to resist or fight the feelings he knew he had for Sakura. She was beautiful, funny, strong in many ways and seemingly trustworthy. And only this time he allowed himself to fall for someone, even though the fear of getting hurt was terrifying. Even knowing that Sakumo was also involved in this equation, still, only this time would he let himself have something he wanted, and at that moment all he wanted was Sakura.

"I like you, Sakura." He blurted out before he could regret it, but he felt ridiculous when she widened her eyes and stared at him. He felt his cheeks flush with her scrutiny, and seeing her open and close the mouth, over and over again didn't help him feel better. The feeling of being a hormonal, inexperienced teenager came over him again and he shifted uncomfortably in the chair.

Sakura felt her heart race as she heard him say he liked her, she had no idea how much she wanted to hear it until it hit her ears and left her speechless. She had already agreed on liking Kakashi for some time and knowing it was reciprocal warmed her heart.

When she saw him shifting uncomfortably and scratching the back of his neck in a gesture that was very Kakashi and obviously nervous, she grabbed his hand that was next to hers on the table.

"I like you too, Kakashi." She stated before she could think about it too much and when the words left her lips she was relieved to finally express what she was feeling for so much time.

His sigh of relief almost made her laugh. "That's great because I..." He squeezed her hand with one hand and ran the other through his tousled hair. "I'm not good with this relationship thing but ..." He choked on missing words again.

"We'll find out together, slowly." Sakura came over and stroked his jaw with her thumb, pleased when she saw him grit his teeth, making her think she had an effect on him, and whatever the effect was, she was happy.

Kakashi pulled his hand out of his own hair to entangle his fingers in her hair. He admitted to himself that he loved the way the soft pink strands felt over his skin.

"Together." He repeated as he approached her slowly. "And slowly." He whispered in her cheek.

Sakura felt his warm breath very close to her lips and shuddered at the sensation. She slid her fingers that rested on his jaw, to the nape of her neck, loving to feel him like that.

"It might not be so slow then..." He murmured, running his lips around the corner of her lips.

"I have no problem whit _quickly_." She closed her eyes tightly. "Fast is good. Fast is good for me if it's good for you." She stammered like a schoolgirl, not knowing how to resist him. The brazen smile she knew was adorning his lips didn't help her think more coherently.

Kakashi couldn't resist smiling when she started to stutter. He looked at her face completely relaxed except for the eyes that were closed in an almost painful way. He lightly kissed the corner of her mouth, longing to feel her lips on his, willing to snatch her mouth and get lost in her.

But all the secret intentions of what Kakashi wanted to do to her were interrupted when voices echoed from outside the kitchen, causing them to move away from each other.

"Hmm, that smells delicious." Sarada smiled as she plucked a plate from Naruto's hand, which was already happily filling his plate with food.

"Seriously Sakura-chan..." Naruto grunted with his mouth full. "Don't let him get away."

She felt her cheeks heat up at Naruto's implication, but after what had happened minutes before in that kitchen, she didn't allow herself to deny it anymore. "I will not." She said with conviction, earning a smile from Kakashi.

As Kakashi handed her a plate of food, he leaned closer than needed and she felt his warm breath against the shell of her cold ear. "I'll have that kiss soon." He promised in a hoarse, whispered voice and she swallowed the food with some difficulty, trying not to think about that promise.

All thoughts of Uchihas and previous concerns have completely disappeared, giving way to a light of hope. Hope that maybe, just this once, she would be allowed some lasting happiness.


	6. Note

Hello guys,

Sorry, this is not a new chapter but only a note.

I think I need to justify the lack of updating for so long.

Besides that madness caused by the pandemic that our world is facing, I had a very painful loss ... my husband passed away at the beginning of last month and now my life is a little messed up.

I don't want to burden you with my personal problems, so I just ask that you wait a little longer, I intend to write again in a month or two.

And please, be safe!


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